FULL HOUSE DIEZ OFFICE

The practice of German designer Stefan Diez is characterized by innovation through technical expertise, instinct and a passion for experimentation. Full House, a comprehensive compilation of his multifaceted body of work, portrays his studio’s distinctive methodology and development processes and delivers first-hand insight into the state of industrial design today, complemented by a collection of essays and interviews exploring some of the most pressing and controversial issues in the field. With contributions by Stefan Diez, Sandra Hofmeister, Sophie Lovell, René Spitz, Oli Stratford, Robert Thiemann, Thomas Wagner, Christian Gärtner, Konstantin Grcic and Rolf Hay, this publication accompanies the exhibition Full House: Design by Stefan Diez at the Cologne Museum of Applied Arts.

Stefan Diez belongs to the first generation of German designers who effortlessly combine craft techniques and digital tools. Rather than focusing on a product’s final form, the Munich-based designer concentrates on the design and development processes. In his workshop, he creates polyurethane structural components and plywood prototypes, CAD patterns for three-dimensional sheet metal objects and models for cups made from Japanese porcelain. The passion with which Stefan Diez pushes the experimental frame for his projects is not only contagious but also results in innovative chairs and office systems, sturdy paper bags or complex log stoves. This book was a project, too, which, like many others, was created in collaboration with partners from Diez’s personal network, who know him and his approach very well. The book focuses on design and development processes because they are the essence of both implemented and ‘invisible’ projects by Stefan Diez. Similar to Diez’s products, this monograph, too, has to be seen as the result of an experiment that was kicked off by Stefan Diez and supported by a large team. The book Full House Diez Office is published alongside the exhibition Full House: Design by Stefan Diez at the Cologne Museum of Applied Arts (MAKK). There are several reasons as to why this most comprehensive solo show to date featuring the work of one of the most important German designers is called “Full House”: the title describes the work philosophy of Stefan Diez and his team. The Diez Office on Munich’s Geyerstrasse is the laboratory, workshop and creative think tank for all projects— it is the hub for everything. But, “Full House” also refers to Stefan Diez’s willingness to test and go to the limits, like in a poker game. This is also clearly reflected in the exhibition at the MAKK: divided into individual cells, the spectacular exhibition design takes over the whole building, expands to a height of 15 metres and uses all surfaces to bring together all of the key projects by Stefan Diez Office.